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West Tisbury

We had a mixed bag of weather over the weekend. Saturday was great but it went downhill after that with rain, wind and lower-than-average temperatures. It will be improving this weekend. Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican Independence Day, is celebrated on Monday.

Maciel Tree and Landscaping has moved several small bushes in the town hall yard in anticipation of the commencement of renovation work in August. The Grange Hall has opened for the season. Camp Safe Haven held the first event with a talent show and dinner provided by Marc Hanover of Linda Jean’s served by Vineyard Harley Riders members last Friday.

Angela Grant, administrator at the Vineyard Transit Authority, reports that the authority bus schedule will be gradually changing to the summer shoulder season beginning tomorrow. She expects an increase in ridership this season due to the price of gasoline and the poor economic climate. At this time, it will offer extended service on Fridays and Saturdays until Memorial Day weekend, when it will include Sundays. The passenger count has increased in the past three months during the winter schedule. When the new schedules are released they will contain a wide range of regional transit information and a new system map. They will be available at most businesses in town.

Sal Laterra, of Providence, R.I., celebrated his 82nd birthday last Sunday night with a dinner at my house that was prepared by Phyllis and Anna. Guests included our daughter Nicole and her husband Arsen, Baron Ludwig Von Ochs, of Vienna, Austria, known to Vineyard folks as Peter, and his wife, Gudrun Waltenstorfer. Telephone messages of good wishes were received from my son Sam and Sandra Polleys.

Nan Doty reports that the sixth graders from the school will compete in the Martha’s Vineyard Speed of Light Model Solar Car Race, which takes place this Saturday, at high noon, on the basketball court behind West Tisbury Town Hall. Racers need to arrive by 10:15 a.m. to register, test the car, make repairs, and talk with community judges before the speed race begins. Come and encourage fifth and sixth graders from our Island schools to try out their solar engineering skills and cheer them on as they race with the sun.

Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club and several volunteers were commandeered by Mary Lou Perry and Judy Bryant. They cleared the grounds, restored the flower beds, removed dead wood and conducted a general spring clean-up over at the Old Mill on Edgartown Road last weekend. They are preparing for an active garden club season with several summer programs.

Jeff Munroe, manager of the youth hostel, reports that this will be the 57th season at the hostel. It has and continues to serve people of all ages and backgrounds from around the world. They open on May 16 and close on Columbus Day weekend. In addition to volleyball court, bike shelter, full kitchen and outdoor grill, this season they added a fire pit, disco ball and a few new coats of paint. He invites you to stop by, take a look at the hostel and all it has to offer.

The Chamber Music Society has decided once again to offer season subscriptions to year-round residents of the Vineyard. Their concerts are always dynamic, ranging from classical to jazz music, and are held at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown on Monday evenings during the summer and at the Chilmark Community Center on Tuesday nights. Early-bird subscriptions are offered only through the month of May at half the price of tickets at the door. Tickets are not dated and may be used singly or in multiples at any concert. This is the 38th year of performances that might be seen at Carnegie Hall for three times the price. Early-bird ticket order forms are available by calling Kathy Retmier, general manager, at 508-696-8055 or from any board member. Board members from this town include Dick Mezger, Julie Skinner, Barbara Scherlis, Diane Wall and Elaine Pace.

Richard McAuliffe of Charles Neck Way, his wife Lauri, and their family returned home last Sunday. Lauri remarks that they had enjoyed a 10-day vacation on Hutchinson Island in Florida. They did a lot of golfing, swimming and tennis and of course enjoyed swimming at the fine beaches. She said that they had a wonderful time.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the Saturday crafts group at the library will be making maracas. Also, Martha Moore’s landscape painting that she completed in California, Washington, New Mexico and the Vineyard will be on display all this month. At 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, an artist’s reception will be held in her honor.

Gloria Sylva over at the school reports that the All Island Band will be at the Palmer High School to perform in the Great East Music Festival tonight. On Wednesday, they will give their spring concert at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Old friend Norma Salop passed away eariler this week in Boston. She was laid to rest in the West Tisbury cemetery yesterday. Our condolences to her family. Fred Woods of California, a long-time Vineyard visitor, died recently and we offer our condolences to his family.

In May 1975, Patricia Zipprodt, of God’s Pocket on Edgartown Road and New York city, had completed designing another dazzling array of costumes for the new Broadway musical Chicago. It was a fast-moving, sinister and sad tale about ladies, their lovers and what happened to the men that did them wrong in the Jazz Age in 1920s Chicago. Bill Prokos, Lucia Evans and Jim Morgan attended the preview performance with Pat who was there keeping an eye on the costumes. The theatre was packed with a wildly enthusiastic audience. There was much applause and a loud crash at the end of the first act. It seems a cable holding a piece of scenery snapped. Fortunately, no one was hurt but the second act was postponed until the following evening. Bill and Lucia report that Chicago will be a big hit with catchy songs, vivid lyrics and outstanding costumes. The dancing choreographed by Bob Fosse was superb. Pat had two shows running side by side on Broadway — Pippin was the other.